


Letters

by magicbeansarehardtocomeby



Category: NCIS
Genre: Ellick, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22735375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicbeansarehardtocomeby/pseuds/magicbeansarehardtocomeby
Summary: The team comes across several boxes of old letters collected by their latest murder victim. When Ellie and Nick start reading them, they're surprised by what they find...
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 3
Kudos: 60





	Letters

"Next time Kasie asks us for a favor, we're saying no," Nick said with a groan, looking at the boxes of old letters sitting on the lab counter.

  
"I wonder if her family even came to town. Maybe she just wanted to get out of having to sort and read these," Ellie replied jokingly as she picked up an envelope.

  
"Yeah right! Did you hear how disappointed she sounded?"

  
"It doesn't seem fair somehow. She was actually looking forward to digging into this stuff," Ellie sighed as she continued, "I just wish Commander Davis had been a little less into letter writing."

  
"Or at least less inclined to save every single one," He replied with a nod. "Okay, I say we pick up some Thai food and drag this stuff to your place. Just because we have to spend the weekend working doesn't mean we have to do it here."

  
"Sounds good. Should we place odds on how likely it is something in these letters even has anything to do with his murder?"

  
"No way, Bishop. That sounds depressing."

*************************************************************************

_Dear Martha,_

  
_I'm finding this letter so much harder to write than I thought. With all the thoughts in my head, the words should come easy. But somehow nothing that can be expressed on paper seems enough._

  
_This war has taken so much from so many. I've been forced to witness a lot of my friends die these last few months. Men with nothing to get back to, men who talk constantly about their families. Men who showed off pictures of their children. Men who told stories of missing the chance to be with the person they loved._

  
_I'm not sure which of these was the hardest to hear, but it all adds up to this: Whether I live for two weeks or 20 years, I never want to spend another day separated from you._

  
_All my love,_  
_Robert_

*************************************************************************

"So we have to spend our weekend reading love letters? Seriously?" He groaned. "There is no way these have anything to do with his murder."

"Come on, they belonged to his grandparents. I think it's sweet." Ellie scrunched her nose. "But also sad because he doesn't have any family left to pass them onto."

"Then why don't we give them to a museum? In fact, why don't we do that right now. Then they can do all the reading."

"Good luck explaining that to Gibbs." Ellie reached across the couch with her foot and kicked his leg before passing him the letter she'd just finished. "Just keep reading, Torres."

*************************************************************************

  
_Dear Martha,_

_There is such much talk of having regrets. Being surrounded by the fear of death makes us all examine our lives. Are there things we wish we could live long enough to accomplish? Or the opposite - things we wish we'd done differently. Being here makes the things we were scared of back home seem very small in comparison._

_I love you. I've been in love with you since the day we met. I'll never forget the way you smiled at me, or the way it made me feel. Or the blue dress you were wearing. Or the way you laughed and kicked off your shoes, admitting that they were pinching your toes. I remember every detail of that day. And every day since._

_I know falling in love scares a lot of people, but I can't imagine being like some of the men here who talk about not having been able to express their feelings. How can you love someone and not tell them? Why would you let fear keep you from living the life you want?_

_I am so thankful that this won't be one of my regrets. I can go to sleep each night knowing that I'll wake up in the morning and love you even more than I did the day before. And that you'll never have to doubt that I love you more than life._

_All my love,_  
Robert

*************************************************************************

Nick folded the letter back into the envelope before adding it to the 'read' pile. "Bishop?"

  
"Hmm?"

"Do these letters...I mean..." he swallowed. "Do they make you think about...?" he trailed off.

  
Ellie raised her eyebrows. "About?"

  
" _Why would you let fear keep you from living the life you want_?" he quoted.

  
Ellie turned to face Nick on the couch and crossed her arms. "Are you telling me you feel that way, or asking me if I do?"

  
"I'm not sure what I'm saying. Or what I want to say. These letters are messing with my head."

  
"Okay. I don't really know what to do with that," Ellie shrugged helplessly. "You're thinking about having regrets?"

  
He stared at his hands for a few seconds, trying to gather his thoughts. "Do you remember being trapped on that sub last year?"

  
"Holy segue, Batman!"

  
He just raised his eyebrows, waiting for a reply.

  
"Okay, random, but yes."

  
"McGee and I were talking about planning for the future, and he said something about me not wanting a family. That was the first time it really hit me how differently I'd started picturing my life. I never really thought I'd have kids, you know? I never saw myself with a family. I just didn't think I was that guy."

  
"And now you are?"

  
"I just feel like I should be moving forward. Like maybe the guy I am right now isn't enough for me anymore."

  
"I get that. I've thought about having kids a lot more often than I used to. Pretty sure that started when we took care of baby Nicholas last Christmas."

  
"Yes!" Nick smiled. "That made me think a lot too. Taking care of him...with you," he swallowed and met her eyes before continuing, "Pretty sure that's the important part."

  
Ellie frowned. "What is?"

  
"Thinking about having kids, wanting to plan for the future...I never cared about any of that until I met you."

  
"Nick..." Ellie interrupted cautiously. He just smiled in reply.

  
"That fight with Ziva? I didn't actually win," He grabbed Ellie's hand and squeezed to keep her from interrupting. "I'm sure I could have," he continued with a cocky smile, "but the thing is...she cheated." He glanced down at her hand and started gently rubbing her knuckles. "She knew exactly how to distract me. She told me that I was being a wuss, that I should tell you how I feel."

  
He met her eyes before continuing. "I'm thinking it's finally time to admit that she was right."


End file.
